Babakaram Restaurant

This place is a legit as they come. Very authentic and staff is super friendly. none of this matters unfortunately, grapevine is they’ve closed their doors for business apparently

The restaurant is closed. It is completely empty inside.

5 stars for the service.
The server was friendly right off and became doubly enthusiastic when he learned I had a Persian roommate and ordered some off-​menu items in Farsi.
1 star for price.
I lived near an awesome Persian grill in DC during college (Moby Dick, strange name but it’s spectacular and they have several locations on the east coast now) where a plate of meat, big pile of rice, four huge charred tomato chunks, a large piece of fluffy pita baked in a stone oven on site (BK had thin lavash bread — different, much lighter, still very good) a small cup of shirazi salad — basically an ice cream scoops’ worth– and a small yogurt sauce set you back about $ 12. At Baba, my bill, with tip, for a combination platter of meat + rice + two little pieces of tomato (which was $ 13.95 in itself), a shirazi salad and yogurt plus an appetizer, kashkeh bodemjan, came out to $ 42 and I had only water to drink. The salad and the yogurt were $ 4.95 each and they charged me $ 4.95 for tahdig (the rice that sticks together at the bottom of the pot — usually not on menus but it’s awesome chewy tasty — and at every Persian place I’ve been to, it’s thrown in for free on top on the rice you get with your meat or stew. I was shocked to see a $ 4.95 charge for it– at the very least they should have disclosed it would cost extra. At Shamshiri in LA, a much more upscale Persian place with elaborate dishes my bill for an app and entrée is always around $ 25 — 30 max.
3 stars for food
The chicken was really, really juicy. The kashkeh was more oily than I’m used to, it’s typically more of a paste, but it was delicious. As mentioned the lavash was different than the usual pita but good. The beef koobideh kabob was just ok, a bit bland. Shirazi salad was watery, veggies not fresh. Yogurt was fine nothing special (and seriously for $ 4.95 for a small bowl it should be special)
I’m pretty indifferent on décor — happy to eat in a total hole in the wall if the food is amazing. But again at higher price points you expect a little better than a blah looking environ in a strip mall– especially when the food isn’t life changingly awesome.
Chicago has a dearth of Persian places and Baba is much better than the well-​known and very Americanized Reza’s. If the pricing was more reasonable aka half of what I paid for basically grilled meat and rice and a basic salad + app I’d give this place 4 stars easily and maybe 5 if they made some tweaks improving the food.
I’ll wait for my next DC or LA trip for awesome, rightly priced Persian. Will not return to BK, which is a bummer because I love the cuisine of Iran.

I needed a fix for some good quality Mediterranean food and this was exactly what I had hoped for!
I was instantly greeted and welcomed. Menu pricing were a little steep for lunch but I forgot about how much I was paying when I tasted the quality of my food.
Ordered the Combination plate with the Chicken & Beef Koubideh with the white rice. It was love at first bite.
The person who took my order was really informative about the food and took his time to passionately explain what goes into creating this meal.
I plan to visit soon and try their Filet Minon Burg option.
I highly recommend this place over Rezas.

It’s solid… I had a good experience. I’ll definitely come back.
It’s a little better quality than most Persian places around here, but it’s also a little more expensive than most Persian places around here. Definitely a lot nicer than I expected.
The appetizers are good (yes, I’ve tried them all… I’m fat for a reason)
The kabobs are all very tender and taste great. Service was fantastic.
The portion sizes are on par with most American places (you won’t leave hungry) but smaller than most Persian places.

Yep, unfortunately, the 2 star rating says it all: meh, I’ve experienced better. much better.
I’ve drove past this restaurant a few times and noticed it was a ‘newer’ addition to this town so I was intrigued to explore Unilocal reviews. I’m always ‘in’ when it comes to middle eastern food. I absolutely love it and have had my fair share of experiences eating it. I know what flavors to expect and how the kebabs should be cooked.
With the abundance of 5 star ratings I decided to give it a taste and ordered take-​out to bring to a friend who was homebound while feeling ‘under the weather’. While the menu is rather modest in comparison to restaurants of this type of fare, they still had traditional Persian offerings which was fine with me. Dinners consisted of the combination Chengeh & boneless chicken kabob with dill rice, Chengeh kabab w/​dill rice & for app’s: falafel & kashkeh bodemnjan (warm, sautéed eggplant with oil, garlic & mint).
Upon arriving at my destination and opening the white styrofoam containers I was immediately taken aback, stunned, puzzled, flabbergasted and astounded! TINY itty bitty pieces of meat!!!
Itsy-​bitsy, teeny weeny, pee wee pieces. No joke. While the menu states ‘pieces of filet mignon’ (and we all know what a filet looks like or should resemble) this was sadly miniscule. Though they provide two skewers, with an overflowing amount of rice, you could ‘dig’ for this dwarf meat. I wish I would have taken pictures and posted here. The kabobs looked NOTHING like the pictures shown here. Simply put, I felt swindled. Was it because I was a ‘take-​out customer’?? That was my initial thought to be honest…
It’s a shame because the chengeh was very tasty, cooked perfectly and very tender. You could taste the marinated onion & lemon as with the boneless chicken. The dill rice which I love and have tasted from my Persian friends who make this, was just ‘OK’. Little on the dry side. I did like the amount of dill, but lima beans were sparse. I’ve had better at Reza’s. The falafels did not ‘wow’ me, and the pureed eggplant was nothing impressive. The pita was rather ‘thin’ as well.
I really would have given 3 stars because I did enjoy the lilliputian chengeh flavor…
But I just can’t get over spending $ 18.00 (YES $ 18.00!!!) per entrée when what I actually received was an $ 8.00 entrée at best. This will likely be my first and last visit here. If they plan to do more business on carry out orders, with these prices and lack of providing ‘appropriate’ pieces of meat — customers will not return.
*MY RESPONSE TO OWNER’S COMMENT*:
I have every intention of contacting your restaurant regarding my order. I am extremely offended that I was given very small pieces of meat for the price I paid. I also am an honest person, so if I am telling you that the meat was no where near what the pictures on your site look like, you should rather offer an apology to your customers, that is good customer service. I am not a liar and do not like leaving negative reviews, however I did feel very ripped off by the meat given to me. I never said your food was not good nor fresh, my complaint was based on the size of your meat.

Stopped in last night for a late dinner based on the Unilocal reviews I’d read. I was a little afraid to try the restaurant because I hadn’t met any neighbors who even heard of the place, no less tried it. They should, and so should you. Very good food, surprisingly nice ambiance given the location and exceptionally nice service.
The restaurant is BYOB, so I ran down the street to the grocery store to grab a bottle while the rest started on some very good hummus. The appetizer menu is as long as the dinner menu. Most of the items are dips, and while they are similar to other middle eastern ones they all had minor differences to make you realize that Persian food is a little different too. The pita was very good, but a little flatter than we are used to. I enjoyed sampling foods I hadn’t tried before.
Dinner is mostly kabobs. Son had Barg-​a filet kabob. Tasty and tender. Wife had a combo plate of boneless chicken and chicken kubideh while I just had the chicken kubideh. All were very good and came in huge portions along with a huge portion of rice. I can recommend any of the dishes. None of the dishes are hot spicy, but all are quite flavorful and a little different than what you’ve had before. We all walked away stuffed.
Our waitress is the owners wife. Very interested in making sure we were happy all dinner. We were there near closing, so she had time to engage in conversation about the food, the restaurant and other things. I imagine she’d be much busier at dinner time We ended up talking to the husband too and he was very nice too.
Go to this place. It’s what family owned restaurants are all about. You’ll be glad you went before everyone hears about it.

FRESH CENTRAL! Really great atmosphere and amazing food. The hummus, falafel, boneless chicken, and filet mignon are all great options. The service is always polite and friendly. On my most recent visit, the owner came out to see how we enjoyed our meal. He seemed very committed to the quality of his ingredients and most importantly, how it is all prepared. While this is currently a hidden gem, definitely give them a try.

Great food. We got barg and kabob combo. The filet mignon is very juicy and tender. The restaurant is very clean and the decoration is very lovely. The waiter is nice and friendly. Will definitely come back!

Waited until my 4^th meal to review… I’m a fan!
Consistent food is very important to me and these folks deliver.
We all need to keep going so the doors stay open!

It lived up to the hype of three previous 75 reviews. Came here for lunch and between my wife an I tried the boneless chicken, the thin cut filet, the cubed filet, and the ground beef, as well as the hummus and salad. All fantastic. Hummus I wouldn’t say is the best I’ve ever had — but it was fantastic, and the best for one person isn’t necessarily the best of others.
Regardless of your taste though-you’re sure to find it delicious.
All the meats were fantastic. I love the spicy green sauce you can get at afghani restaurants, and while they didn’t have that they mentioned and brought out a spicy tomato based sauce that was also delicious when I asked.
Great service, and remarkably delicious food (see me remarking?). A little hike from Hoffman estates, but a nice change of pace.

My wife was craving for Persian food for about a week and pestering me to take her to Reza’s. Instead i wanted to surprise her and also wanted to try something different, so I Unilocaled to find Baba Karam. When I pulled into the parking lot, mine was the only car. My wife was like SERIOUSLY!!! Was this your surprise???
Her mind started changing a bit after she saw that the place was very clean. We ended up ordering Veg combo plate (kashk bademjan, falafel, chef’s cheese) and a side salad (I hear mind voices saying where is the meat) for the lady. I got the chicken combo meal (boneless chicken + Chicken Koubede) and and made it dinner portion size cause I was hungry.
Now for the moment of truth…
This place is a hidden gem in the burbs. The food was just awesome, the chicken was so soft and the koubede was melting in my mouth. The dill rice which came with the chicken was excellent. Though my wife got all vegetarian options i was forced to dig into that cause that was good too. Especially the kashk bademjan. Will definitely come back.

Hidden gem in western suburb.
After finishing our auto emission test in Addison, we Unilocaled for somewhere close, and different. Baba Karam came up on the list with 5-​star. The outside didn’t quite live up to it, but we went in anyhow, trusting our fellow Unilocalers. We were glad we did. Best kebab; hands down. The meat was grilled to perfection — tasteful, tender, and juicy. We ordered the combo so we got to try 4 different kinds of meat. Both the dill rice and bread were good. Everything was freshly prepared. Accompanied by friendly service, this is definitely a place to come back for more exploration.

Nice place. The food was good. Loved the bread, but not overly impressed with the hummus. I had lamb shank, which was flavorful, but not as good as some other places I’ve had it at. Christopher had a special lunch combo and enjoyed it.
The service was very friendly. If we are back in the area, we would try it again.

I realize I’m the odd one out here, dissenting from the majority. I think this place is pretty good, but certainly not 5 stars good. I liked the hummus. Everything else is about average. I honestly don’t understand the vast number of 5 star reviews. Maybe it’s harder to find good food in this part of town? Or perhaps I just came on an off day.
There’s nothing wrong with the place. The staff are friendly as well. But I don’t really see any reason to visit again.

Excellent service and delicious food!
I was on a business trip, found the place here and wanted to try it. This food was truly like a home cooked meal! The people treat you nicely, making you feel welcome.
The meat is zabiha and halal as well, for those that require it (the meat is fresh and clean!)

All I can say is… Whether it’s fine dining or not… What makes a restaurant a 5 star restaurant in my book is — exceptional food, attentive staff, cleanliness and ambiance …
Baba Karam is right there… For being a brand new restaurant… It’s definitely a place I will visit more often!!! Plus authentic Persian cuisine… What more can I ask for?!
This is about 11 miles away from Darien but my BF and I were craving to try a new place… And I’m glad we did :)
It’s a small Persian restaurant…
Not really busy at the time we got there, around 6pm…
Ana greeted us right away (we learned later on that she is the owners wife)
Menu was simple and affordable…
We ordered the ff:
baba ghanoush — one of the best I’ve tasted… Love the texture and creaminess ⁵⁄₅
Falafel — really good too… I will request the sauce on the side, next time … Just to really taste the falafel naked… So to speak… I think the crunchy texture will be better without the sauce…4/5
Entrée we got the Sultani — beef koubideh (beef sausage) and Barg (filet mignon) with dill rice and grilled tomatoes… Excellent ⁵⁄₅ … I can eat the beef koubideh all day everyday… I’m totally in love…
We also ordered a Combo — char grilled filet mignon Chenge and Chicken koubideh (chicken sausage) dee-​lish ⁵⁄₅
I wish they serve wine… Otherwise it’s worth the drive!!!
They offer complimentary Persian hot tea… Oooooh so soothing :)
I was completely blown away …
BTW…The other day… My BF and I spent $ 160 for fine dining that’s so forgettable…
We spent $ 60 here… I’m just shaking my head… As I write this review… I love good food, I love unpretentious staff, and I love clean places… $ 60!!! Uhm yeah … We will be regulars here, for sure…
If you haven’t been here yet… Make that trip I tell ya.
If you see my other reviews… My BF and I love to try new places no matter how expensive or affordable it is … But I always give a genuine Unilocal …

Came to check out the hype… left wishing for more!!!
.The BEST HUMMUS I’VE EVER HAD!
My wife and I shared the combination entrée and picked the chenghe filet mignon and bonkers chicken… filet was perfectly cooked and slightly pink inside just the way I like it cooked and the be chicken was mouth watering and juicy on in the inside. The hummus is served with persian flat bread, although not home made, was a nice trade off to typical pita bread nd easy on the carbs. The chef brought us his homemade hot sauce which reminded of a charred salsa which was unqiue but not quite spicy like PITA INN.
The chef came to check on everyone which is something you don’t see often and showed the caring environment of this small restaurant!
ABSOLUTELY PLAN TO GO BACK.

This place was pretty good. The service and restaurant were clean. My husband, kids and I went for lunch. I got the sultani and my husband got the boneless chicken. We also ordered the hummus and vegetable noodle soup. I loved the barg part of my meal which I would strongly recommend. But the beef koubideh was just okay for me. Next time I’ll get all barg. The hummus was pretty good and my son loved his soup.

I came by here for a bite after having a few brews at nearby Lunar Brewing. We just found ‘em via Unilocal.They are only a couple blocks away from Lunar, and given that there is no food at Lunar, they actually pair up well. This place has only been open for a month apparently. I had their barg (filet migon) kabob and it was a nice dish with the dill rice. The dish could have been hotter though, and that would have made it even better. It wasn’t very busy on this weekday night. The owner lady was friendly and very nice, and also comp’d us with some hot tea.